My jaw drops at the sight of her. “Am I dead?”

Her mouth quirks. “No, my lady. You are not.”

"Who are you, then?"

She inclines her head. "I am one of Lady Tadekha's priestesses. All of us here at the Citadel serve her. Come. Would you like to bathe?" She gestures at the bath. "The water is warm and you have time to wash your hair before dinner tonight."

"Dinner?" I echo dumbly. I’m having dinner with someone?

"Yes. You have been summoned by Lady Tadekha. I suspect your master must be here."

"Master?" I echo again, equally dumbly.

"Lord Aron of the Cleaver. You said you were his anchor, correct?" The angel looks perturbed at my ignorance. “I am told you shouted it quite repeatedly to everyone while you were…ill” She clears her throat delicately.

Ill? She makes it sound like I’m making things up—or that I wasn’t really hurting. “I don’t remember.”

She makes another sympathetic noise and then gestures at the tub. “Come. You must be clean for your master.”

"Can we quit calling him that? We're more of a partnership than a master-slave sort of thing. I'm not down for that sort of vibe." I tiptoe toward the bath, and god, it smells good. Steam rises from it and a delicate floral scent touches my nostrils. It smells so much better than I do at the moment.

"And you are not in any pain?"

"Er, no?"

She nods knowingly. "Then your master must have arrived to retrieve you."

“Still not my master, and I’m pretty sure he’s not here?”

The angel smiles. “I am sure it is not my job to speak of such things.”

The woman reaches for my clothing and I let her help me undress, since I'm not really sure how many options I have here. I'm fascinated by the way her prismatic wings ripple and sway as she moves around the room. They really do look as if they're attached to her body and not just some sort of ornament she's wearing. It’s so pretty. "So what did you say your name was again?" I ask, stepping into the tub.

"I need no name as long as I serve my lady. I am but an extension of her."

Well isn't that just great. "So I guess your goddess is not big on free will, huh?" I sit down in the perfumed water and do my best not to moan with pleasure, because it's so hot and wonderful and I'm so very grimy. I close my eyes in bliss. "I'm Faith."

"Mm." A wet hand towel is slapped against my arm and then the nameless woman starts to scrub me with rough, abrasive strokes that defy her gentle appearance. Ow. I squeeze an eye open and see that she's got a frown on her pretty face. I guess I hurt her feelings.

"I'm sorry," I offer. "I'm not from around here and I don't know the customs. And it's been a rough few days. I wasn’t trying to be rude."

Her gaze flicks to me and her scrubbing turns gentle. She smooths the cloth up and down my arm as if I’ve never washed myself before. I want to protest that I can do it myself, but it feels rather nice. I settle into the tub and let her wash me.

"It's all right," the angel says softly. "You aren’t familiar with our customs. Do you know anything about Lady Tadekha at all?" When I shake my head, she continues, her hand smoothing water up and down my arm. "Those of us that serve the goddess live here in the Citadel all our lives. We choose her glory over our own. It is a great honor to wear her wings and serve at her side."

"It sounds like it," I say, trying to appease her as she has me lean forward so she can wash my back. I wonder if I should take the washcloth from her but I'm afraid of offending again. Still, it's strange to be washed by another woman when I'm fully capable of doing it myself. Her touch has changed to delicate and tender, and the cloth moves over my skin like a caress. "So…did you say your goddess was here?"

The woman's face turns radiant with excitement. "Our lady arrived on the day of Anticipation. I have been chosen to be first among those that serve her needs…other than her anchor, of course.” For a moment, she looks jealous.

"Can I call you 'First' then? It beats 'hey you.'" At her nod, I continue. "So your goddess is here and er, my god is too. Is this a common sort of thing? All the gods showing up at once?"

"It is the Anticipation," First says as if that explains everything. Her hands glide over my buttocks. "I do not know about any other Aspects, though. As I said, we do not leave the Citadel. We remain here to focus our lives in prayer. Our needs are supplemented by caravans of tithes from Aventine."

Didn’t Aron say that Aventine was getting ready to go to war with the Citadel? Maybe I misheard.

Overall, being one of Tadekha’s servants sounds way better than being Aron’s anchor. You get angel wings, beautiful gowns, perfumed baths, and get to live here. Meanwhile, I'd been dragged through the gutters of Aventine, almost beheaded and nearly had to whore myself. I have to wonder though…have others been pulled into this world like I have? Or am I the only one out of place?

I decide not to ask. I suspect it’s information I need to keep to myself.

She dips the cloth in the scented water again and then begins to wash my breasts in teasing, delicate strokes. I gasp, shocked at the intrusive touch—and how my body responds to it. I should not be turned on. I barely even like this woman. I snatch the cloth from her hands. “I got it, thanks.”

First gives me a questioning look, then sits back on her knees and watches me bathe.

I scrub my skin, hard. Time to get this bath over with quickly. "So…do you know Aron?"

"I have only been privileged to meet my Lady."

I snort. "Oh, meeting Aron isn't a privilege. It's more like a test of your patience."

First gasps, her hand flying to her mouth.

Ah, crap. I've offended her again. I just shake my head and continue scrubbing. I'm giving up on being polite and unobtrusive. "Trust me, when you meet him, you'll see exactly what I mean."

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15

I finish my bath with awkward bits of conversation with First, but it's clear she doesn't know what to make of me. That's fine, since I'm not entirely sure what to make of her. She brings me a dress made of a white gauzy material that looks innocent and virginal when First pulls it out, but when I put it on you can see every body part through the fabric.

Every. Body. Part. Nips, snatch, you name it, everyone can see it. I glance over at First, plucking at the material to pull it away from my private parts. "Bra? Panties?"

"What?" she asks, and when she approaches with a comb, I see that her dress is the same as mine. She's just so pale everywhere that I never noticed until now.

Well, damn it. I'm not leaving the room wearing this. I already feel weird enough after that bath. I look around the pale white chamber only to see that my stolen soldier's uniform has disappeared. "Can I have my clothes back? I think I'd be more comfortable in them."

"Oh no, it wouldn't be appropriate for you to have an audience with the goddess in such wear." First looks offended at the thought. "My lady loves beauty in all things, and you must be garbed in accordance to your status."

"Ah," I say, as if I understand. I don't, though. "What exactly is my status?"